


Meeting Nana

by musingmidge77



Category: Leverage
Genre: Multi, OT3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:01:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28452813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musingmidge77/pseuds/musingmidge77
Summary: Eliot Spencer, feared hitter and famed retrieval specialist. What can strike fear into the heart of a man like him? Assassins? Terrorists? Not quite. Nana Hardison!
Relationships: Alec Hardison/Parker/Eliot Spencer
Comments: 9
Kudos: 65
Collections: 2020 Leverage Secret Santa Exchange





	Meeting Nana

**Author's Note:**

  * For [one_true_houselight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/one_true_houselight/gifts).



Hardison smiled as he watched Parker trudge through the tree farm. “It has to be the perfect tree, Eliot. Not just any tree!”

A grumpy hitter passed by with a disturbingly huge ax on his shoulder. “I still don’t know why we’re out here getting a tree.” The man always communicated like a pissed off Klingon.

“Because momma wants a real tree. And Parker gets what she wants. You know that.”

Eliot stopped in front of him, pointed with the ax. “I know that. My question is why we are getting a live tree when we are going to be in Chicago meeting....” He paused and Hardison swore the man looked scared. “…your Nana?”

Hardison suppressed a laugh and moved the ax so it wasn’t right in his face thank you very much. “Thank you, my Nana is a lovely woman. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Nana and if you think there is—”

“Shut up, Hardison! You know what I mean. I’m meeting your Nana. I ain’t exactly what she’s expectin’.”

“And how would you know what she’s expectin’?” Hardison crossed his arms and mimicked one of the hitter’s looks to his best ability. “I ain’t so easy to read ya know? And besides, I’ve talked about you. She’ll love you too, El.”

Eliot tugged on his beanie so hard Hardison couldn’t believe it didn’t rip. The thought of Eliot Spencer being afraid to meet his little Nana cracked him up; but he dared not laugh while Eliot could see.

“All the needles are going to fall off. It’ll be a fire hazard.” The hitter puffed out a breath visible in the frigid air. “Gonna burn the building down.”

Parker bounced up beside him, startled him when she threw her arms around him. “Eliot, silly. Nate and Sophie will take care of the tree. Sophie promised.”

Eliot’s icy stare visibly softened at Parker’s smile. “Sophie promised huh?”

Parker winked at Hardison, then kissed Eliot’s cheek. “She did. And Nana will love you.” Another tree caught her attention and she bounded away. “Oh! Look at this one!”

The hitter’s left eyebrow raised in annoyance and confusion. Hardison knew that look all too well. “Nana? Parker is calling her Nana. Has she already met her?”

“Come on, El.” He grasped the sleeve of Eliot’s coat to drag him toward Parker’s target. “It was just a couple of dinners at her place. It’ll be fine.”

“A couple dinners? I’m the only one that hasn’t met her? This is...she’ll never...dammit, Hardison!”

.

.

.

To say Eliot was uncomfortable on the flight to Chicago would be a gross understatement. Parker sat between him and Hardison and chattered nonstop. Too much Christmas candy.

Eliot watched the other passengers. No one looked as nervous as he felt. Meeting Hardison’s Nana. He must be out of his mind. There was no way a woman like her would accept a man like Eliot.

Nana was the kind of woman that raised her foster children on the Golden Rule and learning right from wrong. Hardison...well, that wasn’t her fault.

He looked over to see the hacker sound asleep with his head on Parker’s shoulder and a smile tugged at Eliot’s lips. Alec Hardison was many things. But a bad person just wasn’t one of them.

He, on the other hand, he was a bad person. Had hurt people. Killed people. Done things that chased him out of bed at night, only to be pulled back by hacker and thief.

At least they would be staying at Hardison’s apartment he kept in Chicago. It would give him a place to escape if need be –and a place to cook.

Two more hours and they’d be touching down. He mentally ran through his shopping list again. A good dish would help gloss over some of his rough edges. Hopefully.

.

.

.

Eliot clutched the container close to his chest. Surely his Marsala Stuffed Mushrooms would win over Hardison’s Nana.

The sound of the bell startled Eliot and he almost dropped the dish. Parker hooked her arm through his elbow. “Don’t worry, Sparky. Sure, you’re grumpy and growl a lot, but Nana will love you.”

“I’m not grumpy, Parker. It’s just sometimes things get on my nerves and—”

The door opened to reveal a slight woman with black hair, streaked with white. A huge smile graced a face that was sure to have turned heads in younger years. She held out both arms. “Alec! You made it!”

Hardison wrapped the woman’s short but stout frame in his arms. “Of course, Nana. We’ve been looking forward to it.”

Nana caught sight of Parker. “Oh! And Parker. Look at you. Come here and give me some love.”

Parker surprised Eliot by pulling her into a hug. “Nana Hardison! I’ve missed you. Do you have those cookies that you know I love? The kind with the icing?”

“And sprinkles? You know I do, baby.” She pulled back to point a figure at the thief. “But not before supper you hear me?”

Parker nodded with a grave seriousness. “Yes, Nana.”

She stepped out to peer into Eliot’s face. “And this must be Eliot. Alec, you and Parker watch some television. Eliot is going to help me in the kitchen.”

Eliot shot Hardison a look. Please don’t leave me alone with that woman.

The hacker narrowed his eyes and made a shooing motion with both hands.

“Come on, Eliot. This food won’t get itself ready.”

Eliot swallowed the lump in his throat and followed her into the kitchen.

She motioned to the container in his hands. “You brought a dish?”

He looked down at the tray as if seeing it for the first time. “Uh, yeah. I mean, yes ma’am. Marsala Stuffed Mushrooms.”

“Marsala? As in marsala wine? You bringing a good church going woman food cooked in spirits?” Dark eyes bore into his.

At that moment, Eliot would have rather been in Russia. Playing a game of roulette. Or maybe North Korea. Nah. He regarded the stout woman in front of him. Possibly.

“Umm...I...I didn’t—”

She must have seen the horror he felt. Her features softened and she smiled.

“Oh, baby.” She laughed. “You think I raised all those children without a nip of something now and again?”

She winked conspiratorially. “Especially Alec? Let’s have one while no one is looking. You made plenty looks like.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He picked a mushroom out of the container as she passed it over.

Nana took a bite of one of the mushrooms. She closed her eyes and hummed. “Mmm...you can taste the love in these. You do know your way around a kitchen.”

Eliot felt the heat rise to his cheeks. “Thank you, ma’am. It’s my outlet. My expression I guess.”

“That it is, Eliot.” She regarded him with a serious look. “Alec has told me about you.”

“He...he has? I’ve done some things that—”

“Have a seat, Eliot.”

So, this is it. This is where she tells me I’m not good enough for Parker or Hardison. And she wasn’t wrong. He had known that for a long time.

.

.

.

Nana watched the emotions pass over Eliot’s face. She had been raising kids for a long time, and had seen those emotions play out over and over.

Anger, fear, shame. This boy has seen a lot. Too much for one person.

“Guess he told you what I used to do. About the people I’ve hurt?”

Ah, the tough kid look. She’d seen that before too. Put on the mask, make people think you don’t care when you really do. Want so badly to be loved.

She sat across from him. “He told me a little. He said you did things you weren’t proud of.”

Eliot nodded. “I have. Hurt a lot of people. Hurt people for money.” He crossed his arms in a challenge. Or protection. Either could be true.

“He also told me about the first time you worked together. When it was every man for himself.” She tried to suppress her smile as Eliot shifted nervously.

“Yeah? That was a long time ago.”

“Alec told me he fell on the way out of that warehouse. And you helped him up. Made sure he got out before it blew up.”

He shrugged. “Wasn’t right to leave a man to die like that.”

“Do you always work so hard to make people afraid of you?” This time she did smile.

“I don’t work at making people afraid of me. They just are. People know my name. There are certain places...my name could be protection.” He smiled sadly. “Or get you killed.”

Nana waved her hand. “You know what I know about your name?”

Another shrug. The disinterested teenager this time. So many emotions in this one.

“I hear affection when Alec says your name. I see Parker’s eyes light up. See them both relax when they talk about you.”

Eliot smiled. Blushed softly. He cared for them. He may as well have been wearing a sign saying so.

“Alec has called me late at night. Needing to know how to do various degrees of first aid. How to take care of one injury or another.”

“I’m sorry he bothers you with that stuff, ma’am. I can take care of myself. I’ve done it before.”

She leaned forward. “The point is you don’t have to now. They love you. He’s told me the things you’ve done...the danger you’ve put yourself in to protect them.” She patted his cheek. “You’re a good boy. And you deserve love.”

Blue eyes became watery. He treated her to a big smile. “Thank you, ma’am.” 

“Nana,” she corrected.


End file.
